Plato’s philosophy has left an indelible mark on the development of Western civilization. His accounts of justice, knowledge, virtue, and the soul inform nearly every subsequent discussion of these matters, influencing thinkers as divergent in aim as St. Augustine and Sigmund Freud. In this course, we will explore some of the central elements of Plato’s philosophy: the scope of human knowledge, the nature of the soul, and the demands of justice.

How to get the most out of Meet Plato: Knowledge, Justice, and the Soul with Sam Nicholson:

• First, read the course materials below before the first class meeting.

• Then have a notebook ready and available for class notes each live session.

• Read assignments before class meetings

• Watch that week’s recording if you need to revisit information from our live session.

• Do the assignments, quizzes, and any extra work assigned for that week.

• Once the course is completed to the parent's and professor’s satisfaction, there is a Certificate of Completion at the end to be filled in for your records.

Total class meetings: 8

Duration of each class: 50 minutes

Prerequisite: No prerequisites

Suggested grade level: 9th and 12th grade

Suggested credit: ½ semester Philosophy or Platonic Philosophy

Instructor: Sam Nicholson, PhD

Course description: In this course, we will read through several of Plato’s dialogues, and we will explore his treatment of justice, the soul, knowledge, and virtue. This class will involve a heavy reading component and will require no less than one to two hours of reading per day. There will be three short reading tests, a mid-term, and a final test at the conclusion of the semester.

Course outline:

Class 1: Introduction, Euthyphro
Class 2: Euthyphro (continued), Theatetus
Class 3: Theatetus (continued, Phaedo
Class 4: Phaedo (continued)
Class 5): Meno
Class 6: Meno (continued), The Republic
Class 7: The Republic (continued)
Class 8: The Republic (continued)

Course materials: It is recommended that you purchase the Hackett edition of Plato: Five Dialogues, ISBN-13 978-0872206335. All materials will be primary source writings of Plato, which are available free from online sources.

Homework: Homework will consist in doing the primary source readings and keeping pace with the lecture. The readings are dense and challenging, and they will require careful attention and in some cases re-reading. There will be three quizzes testing for adequate comprehension of the reading materials, and to ensure compliance with the course schedule. An answer key is provided.

Technical Help: If you have any technical trouble or questions about course content, please email us at homeschoolconnections@gmail.com.

©2023 Homeschool Connections and Sam Nicholson. All rights reserved. This course is designed by Sam Nicholson.

• This material is only to be used for its intended purpose by active subscribers of Homeschool Connections. Any other use without explicit permission is in violation of the seventh commandment (yes, the 7th commandment) and in violation of US and International copyright laws.

• You may print or download to local hard disk extracts for your personal homeschool and non-commercial use only. This is not to be used for homeschool co-ops without express written permission from Homeschool Connections.